LANSING, Mich. (AP) - State-appointed emergency managers soon could at least temporarily lose the enhanced powers granted to them through a 2011 Michigan law.
Those powers include the ability to strip local leaders of authority and toss out union contracts in an effort to fix an entity's finances.
State election officials could take up to two months reviewing petitions submitted by a coalition that wants to give voters a chance to overturn the law in November. Public Act 4 would be suspended while awaiting the election if officials determine enough valid voter signatures were collected.
Supporters of the emergency manager law say that could lead to confusion in places that have emergency managers such as Benton Harbor, Flint, Pontiac and the Detroit public school system.
Opponents of the emergency law say it undermines democracy.